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Sunday, May 29, 2011

In today's Interview With a Couponer, I'm interviewing 247 Mama from Carter Chaos.

How long have you been couponing? What got you started?
Since January. I saw a few blogs that got me excited about couponing! I had couponed before but never like this- price match ups, etc.

Why do you feel couponing is important? What has it allowed your family to do?
God gives us stewardship over money. It's our "job" to be good stewards financially. We are tweaking our budget and have a vacation planned soon.

What has been your favorite coupon deal?
I love getting free items like pasta & butter!

How large is your family? What is your grocery budget and has it changed since you started couponing?
We are a family of 4. I'm still tweaking our budget but we are right about $100 a week for household/ groceries. I'd like to get it down to $50-$75. I know it's doable!

Are you teaching your children the value of couponing?
Yes! They are both getting very familiar with the terms and phrases. My 6 yr old is helping me in the store and she is learning about saving money.

Do you stockpile? If so, where do you keep it?
Yes! We live in an older home and are blessed with TONS of storage! A pantry in our bathroom, one in the kitchen, and a large laundry room holds my stockpile.

Are there any products you've tried because of a coupon that have become regular purchases for you?
So many! I was very "brand" snobby before. Now I am trying all different products, and I have been pleasantly surprised! I am loving Purex Crystals and Glade Sense & Spray right now!

Have you been watching Extreme Couponing? If so, what do you think about the show? What impact do you think it will have on couponing, if any?
I have watched a couple of episodes. I'm concerned that there will be a negative impact. Like many reality shows, it just isn't realistic. I fear many newbies will have impossible couponing goals. I also worry about stores making tougher coupon policies and a shift in coupon values due to the show.

What one item are you guilty of buying too much of?
Deodorant! My husband and I both have TONS! I now have a list in my coupon binder of "Items to only buy if FREE!" Amazingly I keep getting it free though!

If you could give one bit of advice to new couponers, what would it be?
Organize, organize, organize! You don't have to start with a binder but at least begin with an accordian file. You want to carry them with you and be able to quickly put your hands on the coupon you need!

If you haven't already downloaded the Amazon Appstore to your Android phone, be sure to do so. Then check there daily for a new free (premium) app. These are apps that usually have a cost, but for that day only they are free.

Today's free app is a great one if you are wanting to lose weight, or just track your weight/ exercise or calories.

Cardio Trainer Pro is an awelsome little app with several free plugins to help you track your workouts. It even acts as a pedometer to help you track your walks/runs whether on a treadmill, on a track, or just outside on the road or on trails. When you download the original free app (which you will be prompted to do), you'll find that it sets up daily reminders for your workouts, encouraging you to keep on your plan. Then be sure to add Calorific to track calorie intake and set those goals. I started using this app as soon as I downloaded it and already used it to monitor my treadmill walk. The accuracy is not perfect (as far as your speed and end time), but the end result was pretty much spot on. This is one app I'm happy I came across and even if it wasn't free, it would be worth paying for.

Don't go running out and getting stressed that you can't find coupons in the papers today, there aren't any! Typically, holiday weekends are coupon free. This makes me sad, but next week should make up for it with the likelihood of at least 3 inserts (it should be P&G week).